Monday, December 31, 2012

Year in Review and What Will 2013 Bring??

Just a note . . . This is a bit of a long post without a lot of pictures.  I like to make goals every year to help keep me focused.  So a lot of this is for my personal accounting.  Feel free to skim as you like ;)

So what did I do in 2012????  Well . . . .



Wow, what a year!!  On December 31, 2011 I listed some goals here of the things I wanted to accomplish with my quilting in 2012.  Now I get to see how I did.

Goals for 2012

1 - Create some form of a blog hop.  These are always so much fun and I think I can figure out how to run one :)  I hosted the Simply Charmed Blog Hop for Valentine's Day.  It was a huge success and most of all, I loved working with so many great friends.  
2 - Host 2 more Quilt-A-Longs, at least.  I so loved having so many amazing quilter's sewing right a-long with me.  I really want to make sure I leave time to do that again.  This year we did the Tetris Quilt-A-Long and the Stars Quilt-A-Long.  I had so much fun with both and loved seeing all of the amazing completed projects.  
3 - Work on some of those Semi-checks from 2011 ie . . .curved piecing, paper piecing, and pillows  I worked more on curves with some improv projects and joined the Pillow Talk Swap this year.  I also drew up my first Paper Pieced pattern for my Dad's Semi truck quilt.  
4 - Write some more patterns.  I have several planned but plans don't always equal product :)  I wrote an additional 5 patterns this year for a total of  6 Happy Quilting patterns.  This was a big part of my year and I am so excited about it.  I am most excited that the process of writing gets a little easier with each one and my patterns get a little better, including size options and such.  
5 - Make some videos on free motion quilting.  I just have to get over the fear of my voice on tape.  I still don't like the sound of my voice on tape, but I made several video's this year, several on Free Motion Quilting as well as some on Finishing a Quilt and Applique.  I still need to learn how to edit them better though.  
6 - Teach a class.  Doesn't matter where, or to how many to preferably fewer, as the idea sort of scares and excites me at the same time.  I taught a class to my church's women's group.  I will also be teaching 2 classes in January at the Cedar City Quilt Retreat and 5 classes in June at the Panguitch Quilt Walk.  I really loved teaching and am so looking forward to these opportunities in 2013.  
7 - Start teaching my daughter to quilt.  She is starting to show some interest and I want to make sure I set some time aside for her.  We did a little bit of quilting, which she enjoyed.  This one needs to move into 2013 for sure.  However, she really enjoyed sewing clothing with her Grandma.  
8 - Design and create for my family.  Is it crazy that I made so many quilts in a year and only 1 of my children have a quilt I made for them on their bed??  (Although I have 2 in progress :)  I want to focus on making these works of love for the people I love.  This year I made new bedspreads for 2 daughters, 1 son, 1 husband, 1 father, 1 grandmother and 2 nieces.  I also made quilts for 2 nieces, 1 nephew, 1 grandmother, and 1 teacher,   Lots of Quilt love!!  I am so pleased with how this goal turned out!
9 - Make Christmas Stockings for my family.  Now that we know our family is not going to grow anymore I have no excuse not to make us a matching set of stockings.  I had plans, but then my surgery poo-pooed those plans.  For sure moving to 2013!
10 - Keep Balance!!!!  I want to really try to make sure I am on top of things enough to keep quilting time to nap time and bed time so that it doesn't interfere with family time.  It was a busy year!!  I think I did better on the balance thing than the year before.  That's not to say that there weren't some times where it got a little crazy, but all in all, I think I can honestly say it was a decently balanced year.  But ya, there's always room for improvement here, right :)  



So ya, I am feeling pretty great about the Quilting year of 2012.  In fact, I am feeling great!!  It has been such an amazing ride. When I think over it I still can't believe it all happened in 1 year.  I mean seriously, this year found me published in a book, attending my first Quilt Market, establishing a pattern line, being published in 5 magazines, hosting 2 Quilt-a-Longs and 1 Blog Hop and creating 9 quilt tutorials, 16 other tutorials, and 9 video tutorials.  Hoolay Smokes, What a Year!!!



So now it's time to look forward to 2013!!  I always like to make goals for the new year because they give me something to strive for.   I find goals help me to continue pushing forward.  However, this year in making my goals I decided I wanted to do it a little different.  My plan is to be a little less specific and have a few less goals.  Trying to keep track of 10 for a year get's a little overwhelming :)  So here they are, my 2013 goals :)

1 - Keep trying to expand my skills, ie . . paper piecing, doll clothes, dresden curves, stockings, and challenging myself with bee blocks -   I have signed up for Don't Call Me Betsy's  Paper Piecing BOM so I think that will for sure expand my paper piecing skills, so excited!!!  My daughter has also picked out several patterns for doll clothes so I think that will be a learning opportunity as well.

2 - Be Happy with Me -  Okay, so this one could be an entire post on it's own.  In fact it could be a series of posts.  But I really don't want to get to much into it.  (I am sure I am not the only one that floats in this boat of comparing and putting oneself down, but it is still an awkward boat to talk about.)   Let's just leave it at I am going to try to do better in 2013 :)

3 - Tell the story - Often I find that in an attempt to write a clear crisp tutorial I miss writing about why I liked a design, or what inspired me, or who it is for, ect. ect.  I wan't to try and write more about the story.  If that means I need to make 2 posts about a quilt, then that's what I will do.  (I mean, let's be honest, no one wants to read an entire personal story before getting into a tutorial ;)    I am also working on redoing my Quilt Archive, so that I can go back and see the story behind the quilts.  I think I might include some sort of linky party for the super old ones that never got blogged about.  They need to be recorded in some point in time.

4 - Seize opportunities while keeping balance - Balance is always, well a balancing act.  I don't want to say that I need to say no more in  2013.  In fact the complete opposite.  I love to sieze opportunities of projects that come my way.  I find I make such wonderful friends in joint projects and that is what this is all about to me.  I just need to make sure that as each opportunity comes along that I plan my time wisely, and not waste time, so that I can continue to keep balance in my life and still enjoy all the amazing oppotunities that come along.

So that's it.  I think these 4 goals will really help me learn and grow in the New Year to come :)  I can't wait to see what 2013 brings!!



Now . . . Before I sign off to this year and begin a new one, I would like to take a moment to Thank You!!!  I am overwhelmed by the growth of Happy Quilting in this last year and realize that without each of you amazing readers, it would not be possible.  I am humbled by the sweet comments that you leave on my projects, they truly make my day and encourage me on.  I am thrilled to see your version's of my tutorials and patterns, I do a little happy dance each time I am sent a picture.  And most importantly,  I am overjoyed at the amazing friends I have because of this online quilting community, you truly are the best part of quilting.

Thank you for your support, your kindness, and your friendship!! Here's to a new year!!!



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7 comments:

  1. What an amazing year you had! I've been following your blog for a while now and I love it. You are an inspiration to me and I look forward to every single post. I hope you have another great year!

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  2. great list.... I have a youtube channel and I don't talk on it, it may be boring, but I'm the same way, I don't want my voice on it, the videos are not long and with the sound of the machine humming anyways, you might not hear me well...I want to host a quilt along too or another mystery quilt, or a BOM and swaps ahh so much we want to do!! LOL

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  3. Great list of goals and achievements there :o) Happy new year!

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  4. Congrats on all you achieved . . . it's an impressive list. Happy New Year!!

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  5. Wow - phenomenal year!! Happy New Year!

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  6. what an amazing year! Good for you!

    I'm also obsessed with QALs so let me know if you need someone to do a part! I'm holding a 'My Favorite Block' QAL over at Persimon Dreams ;)

    Way to go on accompishing your goals :)

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  7. Melissa,

    Just wanted to say I think you're amazing! I love your blog and your patterns and look forward to what you create and share with us this next year! So happy that you have all that red ink on your 2012 goals - keep it up :o)

    Happy New Year!

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Thank you so much for your sweet comments. I just love hearing from you!!
Have a Happy Quilting Day :)

Melissa